Forum programme

Explore the programme of the Baku–Khankendi–Shusha forum journey.

9 September 2024 — Baku

TimeEvent
08:00 – 09:30Visit to the tomb of National Leader Heydar Aliyev and the Alley of Martyrs
10:00 – 11:00Registration of forum participants and distribution of lapel badges
11:00 – 12:30OPENING SESSION (Moderator: Academician Rafael HUSEYNOV)
11:00 – 11:04National Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan
11:04 – 11:05A one-minute silence in memory of our martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan
11:05 – 11:10Screening of a video on state support for the development of science and education
11:10 – 12:30Protocol addresses:
  • Farah ALIYEVA, Head of the Department for Humanitarian Policy, Diaspora, Multiculturalism and Religious Affairs, Administration of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan
  • Mesud AFANDIYEV, Chair of the World Association of Azerbaijani Scientists
  • Hafiz PASHAYEV, Rector of ADA University
  • Emin AMRULLAYEV, Minister of Science and Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan
  • Fuad MURADOV, Chair of the State Committee on Diaspora Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan
TimeEvent
12:30 – 12:35Reading of letters to the forum from Nobel laureates Aziz SANCAR and Arye VARSHAVSKY
12:45 – 14:00LUNCH BREAK
14:00 – 15:30FIRST PLENARY SESSION, Moderator: Dr. Dinara ABBASOVA (Austria)

Discussion topic: The role of scientists in the internationalisation of science and higher education in Azerbaijan

  • What role do internationalisation strategies play—including faculty and student mobility and aligning curricula with labour-market needs—in producing graduates with modern knowledge and skills?
  • What functions can scientists living abroad perform in developing science and higher education in Azerbaijan and attracting international students and professors?

Participants:

  • Hafiz PASHAYEV, Rector of ADA University
  • Adalat MURADOV, Rector of Azerbaijan State University of Economics
  • Vilayat VALIYEV, Rector of Azerbaijan Technical University
  • Hamlet ISAKHANLI, Founder of Khazar University
  • Rufat AZIZOV, Rector of Sumgayit State University during the forum; from 2025, Rector of Azerbaijan State University of Oil and Industry
  • Ceyran MAHMUDOVA, Rector of Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Arts
TimeEvent
15:30 – 16:00COFFEE BREAK
16:00 – 17:30SECOND PLENARY SESSION, Moderator: Prof. Dr. Mesud AFANDIYEV (Germany)

Discussion topic: Building a global academic network — new approaches to developing local universities and research institutes

  • How can the role of scientists living abroad be strengthened in connecting universities and research institutes operating in Azerbaijan with international academic networks?
  • China's experience is a positive example of benefiting from diaspora scientists. How do our scientists abroad see establishing such a model for Azerbaijan?

Participants:

  • Elmar GASIMOV, Rector of Baku Higher Oil School
  • Gulchohra MAMMADOVA, Rector of Azerbaijan State University of Architecture and Construction
  • Vazeh ASKEROV, Acting Rector of Azerbaijan State University of Oil and Industry during the forum
  • Elchin BABAYEV, Rector of Baku State University
  • Yagub PIRIYEV, Rector of Baku Engineering University
  • Elbrus ISAYEV, Rector of Nakhchivan State University

10 September 2024 — Strategic sessions

TimeEvent
08:30 – 08:40Mesud Afandiyev, Co-Chair of the WAAS Board of Directors, welcomes participants, outlines expectations for the day and emphasises that brainstorming methods will be used in the sessions.
08:40 – 10:00Moderators of this session are Aynur Guliyeva and Reyhan Hasanova. Short presentations are given on the following topics:
TimeSpeakerCountryTopic
08:40 – 08:50Saadat KARIMISwedenScience and education relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and Scandinavia and other Western European states — current issues
08:50 – 09:00Yulduz RAHIMOVCanadaThe role of mathematical models in forecasting environmental patterns and assessing the impact of human interventions
09:00 – 09:10Asaf SALAMOVUSAThe development of data science could be one of Azerbaijan's priority fields.
09:10 – 09:20Mehdi GANJALITürkiyeThe contemporary resonance of the newspaper “Azerbaijan” published in 1918–1920
09:20 – 09:30Seymur NASIROVEgyptAzerbaijan and Azerbaijanis in Arabic sources
09:30 – 09:40Togrul ISMAYILTürkiyeA current approach to cooperation in science and education between Azerbaijan and Türkiye
09:40 – 09:50Nigar MASUMOVARussiaFeatures and prospects of scientific cooperation between Azerbaijan and Russia
09:50 – 10:00Bakhtiyar SIRACOVAustriaWorld Association of Azerbaijani Scientistsnin virtual məkanda fəaliyyəti
TimeEvent
10:00 – 10:20COFFEE BREAK
10:20 – 12:00SESSIONS

In these sessions

  • Discussions were held around sample short-, medium- and long-term strategies, and the most suitable options for implementation were selected.
  • Documents were produced reflecting the group's priority strategic directions and explaining why they were appropriate, also taking into account issues raised in the addresses of state officials and university leaders.
TimeEvent
12:00 – 13:30LUNCH BREAK
13:30 – 15:00SESSIONS

In these sessions

  • priority strategic directions identified in previous sessions,
  • issues raised in the addresses of state officials and university leaders, and
  • Through exchange around recommended discussion topics by field of science, sample short-, medium- and long-term strategic plans for WAAS were drafted.
TimeEvent
15:00 – 15:20COFFEE BREAK
15:20 – 16:50SESSIONS
16:50 – 17:20Moderators and participants presented the outcomes obtained.
17:20 – 18:30CLOSING SESSION

The closing session is intended to discuss and adopt short-, medium- and long-term strategies. If time constraints or other reasons prevent strategies from being finalised during the forum, designated WAAS members and local participants will work offline in groups on the outcomes obtained.

TimeEvent
19:00 – 21:00OFFICIAL RECEPTION

11 September 2024 — Khankendi and Shusha

TimeEvent
13:00ARRIVAL IN KHANKENDI
13:00 – 14:00Reading of the appeal to His Excellency Mr Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Victorious Supreme Commander-in-Chief, on behalf of forum participants Meeting with Shahin Bayramov, Rector of Karabakh University Tour of the city of Khankendi
14:15ARRIVAL IN SHUSHA
14:30 – 15:30LUNCH BREAK
15:30 – 17:30TOUR OF THE CITY OF SHUSHA
18:00RETURN TO BAKU